North Korea Slams US Bad Faith

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

A leaked UN report, based on US-supplied information, claimed the DPRK hasn't abandoned its nuclear and ballistic missile programs following mid-June Kim Jong-un/Trump summit talks, saying:

North Korea "has not stopped its nuclear and missile programs and continued to defy Security Council resolutions through a massive increase in illicit ship-to-ship transfers of petroleum products, as well as through transfers of coal at sea during 2018," adding:

Pyongyang exported more than $100 million in textile goods in violations of a sanctions ban. The report claimed it's cooperating militarily with Syria and Yemeni Houthis.

On Friday, the Trump regime's UN mission proposed new sanctions on the DPRK, along with calling for tough enforcement of existing ones - actions showing bad faith.

It's typical of how Washington operates, showing it never can be trusted, promising one thing, breaking its word time and again.

North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho responded sharply to accusations against his government, accusing Washington of breaching what it agreed to in Singapore, stressing:

Kim Jong-un showed good faith by initiating "a moratorium on nuclear tests and rocket launch tests, as well as dismantling of a nuclear test" site.

Washington so far reciprocated only with empty promises, Ri adding:

"(T)he United States instead of (showing good faith) is raising its voice louder for maintaining the sanctions against the DPRK, and backtrack(ing) (from pledges made in Singapore), even from declaring the end of the (1950s) war, a very basic and primary step for providing peace on the Korean Peninsula."

Especially "alarming…is the (Trump regime taking steps) to go back to" cold war toughness on Pyongyang.

In Singapore on Saturday at an ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting, Pompeo called for "maintaining diplomatic and economic pressure on North Korea to achieve the final, fully verified denuclearization that DPRK has agreed to."

He demanded halting what he called "illegal ship-to-ship transfers of petroleum destined for North Korea," continuing US economic war on the country instead of reciprocal outreach to improve bilateral relations.

He announced "$300 million in new funding to reinforce security cooperation throughout the entire region" - aimed at countering China, Russia and North Korea, citing "transnational threats" that don't exist other than America's regional presence.

He bashed China's defensive military actions in its own waters and territory. He criticized Cambodia's July 29 general elections, calling them "neither free nor fair," because the US-backed candidate lost.

So far post-summit, Pyongyang got nothing in return from Washington but bad faith, unfulfilled pledges, and unbending imperial toughness - showing major issues agreed on were one-way.

The Trump regime wants its demands obeyed, offering nothing in return but empty promises.

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